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Blog posting adapted from Sun-Sentinel / MartketWatch written by Amy Hoak of MarketWatch. Click here for original news article.

Be prepared to do some work yourself.

With all the online real estate information available to home sellers nowadays, it’s not surprising that some of them consider selling without the help of a real estate agent.

The biggest advantage of the for-sale-by-owner …..
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Comparable home sales, or “comps,” are what the professionals use to analyze the value of your property. Comps are one of the foundations of determining a home’s value. Properties that are similar to the place you’re considering can tell you a lot about your own property’s value. Using information from the sales history of comparable homes, and the relative importance of different …..
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Foreclosure activity in April was up 62 percent from the same month a year ago, despite its 1 percent drop from the previous month, a foreclosure tracking service reported. A total of 147,708 foreclosure filings — including default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions — were reported during the month, according to RealtyTrac. The company also reported a national foreclosure rate …..
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It doesn’t make good financial sense to spend a lot of money on a major renovation without obtaining the building permits that are required by law. The value of the work can be diminished if required permits aren’t obtained. In some places, you might be required to undo work that was done without permits. And, you could be stopped from completing a job until you obtain the necessary permits.

To …..
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Stricter lending standards and a decline in a subprime mortgage originations have contributed to somewhat lowered expectations for existing home sales in NAR’s latest housing market outlook, compared with its earlier forecasts.
Existing-home sales are likely to total 6.29 million this year and 6.49 million in 2008, compared with 6.48 million last year.New-home sales, projected at 864,000 in 2007 …..
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Once you have identified and addressed your trouble areas, you can then focus on items that enhance your homes curb appeal. Even with a limited budget your can greatly enhance your homes visual appeal by focusing on a few key areas. Items you may consider include: Adding colorful seasonal plants to existing flower beds. Purchasing new house address numbers and mailbox. Installing a new door with …..
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From OrlandoSentinel.com – July 8, 2007

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/consumer/orl-homebase0807jul08,0,7254094.story

On the Web

The majority of people who use the Web for real estate are using it to search home listings, according to Realestate.com. This redesigned site focuses on home listings and home-valuation tools. The site, which recently launched a home-listings engine …..
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Please visit Electronic Appraiser – www.electronicappraiser.com – …..
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Article Source – Anthony Sands pres@gstarhome.com

Since obtaining a mortgage is often the largest financial decision in your life it is important for you to know who is involved in your loan application process.

Loan Officer (Mortgage Broker) – This is the person who will meet with you to discuss your program options and recommend to you the best program to meet your needs.

The loan officer …..
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Locate your local post office, police, fire stations and hospitals as well as gas stations near your home.Get familiar with your neighborhood shopping areas. You may need house wares, tools or other items for your new home unexpectedly.Call the department of sanitation in your new home to find out which day the trash is collected and what type of recycling programs are available in your …..
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